Centrifugal drying machine



l March 17, 1925.

W. H. HIMES- CENTRIFUGAL DRYING MACHINE Filed June 15, 1921 INVENTOR Wa/er H. Hl'med.

A'TTORNEYv WITNESSES:

Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

Umran- Pff-ALBIN? OFFICE WALTER -IirHIi/LEs.or;rim?SBURGQH, .PENNSXLVf-lme, ASSEGTQR TO WESTINCHOTSE ELECTRIC a MANUFACTURING*COT/@MTK .A CQRlOBV-ATIQN or PENNSYLYANIAL GENTE;EUGAL` parme Macallan.,

Application 1edvJune`15, SerialrNo. 477,753.

To all t0/tom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WALTER .H. HIMns, a citizen of the Unitedy States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, inthe county offrit legheny `and State of Pennsylvania, have 1nvented a new and useful Improvement in Centrifugal Drying Machines, of Which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to centrifu'gally operated devices Yadapted for drying clothes and it has particular relation to decelerating V1means. for use .in connection with apparatus of the above indicated character. It pertains to thesubject matter of my copendingapplication Serial No. 723,478, filed July 1; 1924.

One objectof Amy invention is to, provide braking apparatus by means of Which it is impossible to decelerate centrifugallyv operated devices at such rate as to injurethe same. l

Another object, of my invention is to pro.- vide a.brakingdevicewhich is automatically released when the -centrifugally operated machineceases to rotate., thus avoiding the possibility of l. injuring, the drivingnmechanism by attemptingA to` start; the machine with. the vbrakein its effective. position.

Heretofore, it has been customary,'in Ithe construction of highrspeed centrifugal apparatus, to provide a decelerating means. in which the braking action exerted on the rotatable member is proportionalto the force exerted 0n the bralerleverby theope'rator. An objection toan. arrangementof this type, is that, if the operator applies 'the brake With toomuch force, the machine, and particu'- larly the braking apparatusthereof, islikely to be injured'.

Briefly speaking, my invention consists in providing a device whereby the Weight, of the centrifugally, operated fabric container orbasket is raisedfrom the bearing member uponwhich it restsl during thevnoimkal operationvthereof, During the braking opera'f tion, thebasket issustained byf the braking member by means of a device` which permits raising the basketvflom its normal position and prevents applying any brak? ing. forceV thereto, exceptthat caused' by the weight, of the centrifugal member` itself.

inthe accompanying drawings,

Figure 1` is a cross-sectionalv View of' a centrifugal.v drying .f machine constructed in accordancew-ithfmy invention.

is a detail .view of a portion of' the braking ,device illustrated in Fig. v1, and Fig. 3' is afdetail view illustrating the basket-'raising' device illustrated 'in Fig.v 1. In the draivin'gs,` ll show a.' stationary frame member'4 provided with aloyver bean ing-supporting portion' 5, anV "intermediate casing 6 -andz an" upper basket-containing member.A 7 Whichis provided with `a detach'- able lid 8. 'Within the container 'Tis disposed av rotatable container or basket 10'having perforated sides andbeing adapted-'to receive clothing or other f"i'naterial"i from Whichit isjdesired to separate Water. Y' The container 10'is provided with Va bottom vportion 11 which, in turn, is mounted upon ya vertically disposed "shaft 12.'v 'The lovver portion of the shaftfis disposed With;- in a bearing sleeve 13"l mountedvvithin a Fig'. 2

vbearing housi`n=gn14lWhichris supported from the 'portion 5 of the supporting `frame 4.

The Vend of the shaft 12 is supportled'by thrust-bearing,- of any suitable "typ`e,'he're shown4 `as comprising a ball bearing "15 'engaging addetachable portion 16 of the bearing housing 14. The bearing sleevelS and the housing 14 are -both"stationary `and are loosely' mountedl yupon the vsupperting -mem ber 5 'by means of annular members 17 .conrposed of rulriber, or other suitable'resilieiit material. Y Upon the, upper portion ,of the Vhousing 14 is mounted a cylindrical honsingvlSWhich serves. to, enclose thaty portion of *theV shaft 12 intermediate theV containerv l() and the bearing housing 14. The housingl'unay, if; desired, containl an?. electric, motor for driving the shaft 12.r As'` isrbestsho'yvn in Fig 3, the bearing sleeve 13 ,is provided, at its upper end, With 'a flange 2,0., portions of which arecutavvay to'frmpln'dsup faces `2,1 thejon, the purpose ofvvliitc iwvvill be hereinafter described, f y I" Upon vthe shaft 12, intermediate thebasket 10. andthe bearing sleeve13,is1mounted'la collar member 22` having all relat' elyftvnide horizontally disposed,facelrheh. 1 iievdd withjalinhe 23 0f any1 Sutblelmtella-l haine the. desired, werden@ of fric auch, vfbi example, cnllipetoam ,Is ing@v 'a' relatively large propot'ion of cork', if

'Loosely' 'l mounted "up'ont'he shaft A'12, is a Cooperating l slldfabl braking) beller member 24, tamarins@ Zwhiths. dept"- ellj te; engage the braking. Sillfae.: 'The member 24 is provided with diametrically disposed lugs 26 upon each of which is pivotally mounted a roller member 27 by means of a pin or axle 28. The roller members 27 are adapted to lie upon the lowermost portion of the inclined surface 21 of the bearing member 13, previously described, during the normal operation of the machine.

The member 24 is rotated into its braking position by means of an arm 30 which also prevents Vthe rollers 27 from being VInovedbeyond a predetermined position on the incline 21 -by means of the engagement between the braking members 22 and 24. The arm '30 projects'thi-ough a slot 34 in the casing member 18. The arm 30 is moved by means of an arm 31, mounted upon the shaft 32` which is supported by means. of the portion '6- of the stationary frame .4. Upon the opposite end of the shaft 32 is mounted a foot lever 33. y

When the operator moves the lever 33, the shaft 32 is rotated and the arm 31 is moved into engagement with the arm 30. The arm 30 is moved a relatively short distance only to rotate the member 24, sufficiently to bring the surfaces 25 and 23 into engagement. As the member 22 is also moved in the same direction asl the member 24,V the engagement between' the members 22 and 24 causes the member r24 to be rotated still-farther in the same direction, thus raising vthe weight of the basket-from'the bearing 15. A pin 35 mounted on the member '6V prevents the-foot lever 33 from moving -the arm 30 beyond apredetermined position. The end of the slot 311 in the member 18 through which the arm 30 extends, prevents its being rotated beyond a predeterminedV position by means of its engagement between the surfaces 23 and 25.-

After the weight of the basket 1 0 is raised .from the' bearing 15, it is supported only by the contact between the braking Asurfaces 23 and 25 which will stop the rotation of the basket without imposing any undue strains thereon. The frictional engagement between the surfaces, 23 andV 25 will dependv upon the weight of the articles Ydisposed within the basket 10.

From the foregoing description, it will be observed that the arm 30 is prevented from rotating beyond a predetermined position in order that the rollers 27 may be maintained on the inclined surfaces 21 during the braking position. lOne of the advantages ofthis particular arrangement is that, as soon as the basket is stopped, the rollers 24 will roll down the inclined surfaces 21 to their original or non-brakiiig position automatically,

thus returning the arm 30 to its original position. 4The -arm 31 is returned to its original position by means of aspring or Vother resilient device when the foot of the The brake will, therefore, Vbe automatically released when the basket ceases rotation, thus eliminating the possibility of injuring the motor by attempting to' drive the'basket with the brake on. .1

It will beV noted that the arm 30, which is mounted on'the member 24, is adapted for oscillation .to Veffect a braking action on the shaft 12 and also for gyration with the shaft 12 about the resilient bea-ring within the housing 14. The arm-31, however, which actuates the arm 30 isV oscillatable but not gyratable. The foot lever 33 is stationary'when not moved by the operator. Thus, the gyratable armY 30 is actuated by the non-gyratable arm 31, itbeing undesirable to mount the footV pedalY on the arm 30 becauseA thev latter wouldv probably be moving continuously during theebraking period when the operators foot wouldbe Ain engagement therewith. i

IVhile I have shown but one form of my invention, further changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and-I desire, therefore,v that only suchv limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the Lprior art or are specifically set forth invtlie appendedfelaims. Y Y

That I claim as my invention is:

1. In combination with a rotatable member, `a braking .device adapted 'to sustain said member, vduring the braking period.

2.` In. combination with a rotatable membei, ,a braking deviceadapted to sustain said member during the braking period only.

3. Incombination `with a rotatable mem-Y ber, bearingv members provided therefor and a braking device adapted to sustain said member. andto Vremove the weight thereof from saidlbearing members.V

1., In `combination with a rotatable member, bearing members provided therefor and a braking device adapted to remove the weight of said member from said bearing members.` Y n f n f i' Y V5. In kco-I'nbination,with a rotatableniem.- ber, bearing 'members provided therefor andl a braking device adapted to remove the v weight of said member from said bearing` members and for subsequently restoring said memberupon saidrbearing, members. y,

6. Incombination withA rotatable member, a bearing member provided therefor and a braking device adapted to sustain said member during the braking period and for raising said member out of engagement with said rbearing member.

7. In combination with a rotatable niember, va bearing member rprovided therefor l and a bra-king device adapted to Sustain said member `during -the braking period and for raising said member out of engagement with said bearing member throughout a Vpredetermined period and for restoring said mem'- ber to 'itsorig'i alfpbsition'avhe said` mem'- ber ceases rota mgl'I 8,. In combinationuiwith a meinb'ei rotatable about a vertical axis,'an anti-frictional thrust bearing, ran additional bearing member mounted onV said 'shayftand 'a cgi-operating bearing surface-adapted tobe moved into engagement' vvitli' said additiof albearing memberr and' to'lraisethetveight-offthe rotatable member fromsaid anti-fribtiona-l bearing member.

9;-In combination- With a rotatable member, a"statioiiarysupprt therefor, a braking member mounted on said rotatable member, a cov-operating braking member mounted on said support and means for bringing said braking members into engagement comprising a member moving upon an inclined surface, said means being automatically7 operable to disengage said braking members.

10. In combination With a rotatable member, a stationary support therefor, a braking member mounted on said rotatable member, a co-operating braking` member mounted on said support and means for bringing said last mentioned braking member into engagement with said first mentioned braking member comprising a roller member moving upon an inclined surface.

11. In combination with a rotatable member provided with a vertical axis, a stationary support therefor, a thrust bearing for said rotatable member, a collar member mounted on said rotatable member and provided With a substantially horizontal bearing surface, an oscillatable member mounted on said stationary support and provided with a bearing surface adapted to co-operate with said collar member, said oscillatable member being adapted to be moved into engagement with said collar member by means of roller members moving on an inclined plane.

12. In combination with a rotatable member provided with a vertical axis, a stationary support therefor, a thrust bearing for said rotatable member, a collar member mounted on said rotatable member and provided With a substantially horizontal bearing surface, an oscillatable member mounted on said stationary support and provided with a bearing surface adapted to co-operate with said collar member, said oscillatable member having mounted thereon a plurality of roller members, said stationary support being provided with a plurality of inclined portions adapted to co-operate with said roller members to move said oscillatable member into engagement with said collai member.

18. In combination with a rotatable member provided with a vertical axis, a stationar support therefor, a thrust bearing for sald rotatable member, a collar member mounted on .said rotatable member and provided wier a sabscaatially mammaire-earl ing surface', an oscillatable'member'mounted on said stationary support and provided With` a bearing surface` adapted toc'oerate Withsaid"collar'membemsaid oscil able member; having' mounted thereon= va p'lu rality bf roller members, said st'ationarysup'- port being. provided'witl a plurality of'incliiied' portions adapted to co-operatej'witjh said roller members to move saidtoscillatable member' intoy engagementE with* saidicol-lar member anda lever'adaptedt'o movesaid oscillatable meinbertto cause' said rollerliiieitil bers to engage said inclined surfaces.

14. In combination with a rotatable member provided with a vertical axis, a stationary support therefor, a thrust bearing for said rotatable member, a collar member mounted on said rotatable member and provided With a substantially horizontalbearing surface, an oscillatable member mounted on said stationary support and provided With a bearing surface adapted to co-operate With said collar member, said oscillatable member having` mounted thereon a plurality of roller members, said stationary support being provided With a plurality of inclined portions adapted to co-operate with said roller members to move said oscillatable member into engagement With said collar member, a lever mounted on said oscillatable member and adapted to move the same to cause said roller members to engage said inclined surfaces and an additional manually operable lever adapted to engage said first mentioned lever to actuate the same.

15. In combination, an oscillatable gyratable member having a lever mounted thereon and separately mounted means adapted to oscillate said lever.

16. In combination, an oscillatable gyratable member having a lever rigidly mounted thereon and an independent oscillatable nongyratable lever adapted to engage said first vmentioned lever only When imparting energy thereto.

17. In a centrifugal machine, the combination of a rotatable member and means operable by the inertia of said member for exercising a braking action on said member.

18. In a centrifugal machine, the combination of a rotatable member, and means actuable by an operator and operative by reason of the rotation ofsaid member for applying an increasing pressure to said member and thereby retarding said member.

19. In a centrifugal machine., the combination of a rotatable container, a brake member rigid therewith and means for lifting said container and exercising a braking action on said brake member but preventing the braking pressure on said braking member from eXceedng the Weight of said container and parts carried thereby.

20. rIhe combination'of a rotatable` member, braking means adapted to sustainrthe Weightrof said member during the braking operation and automatically operable means for discontinuing the operation of said braking means on the stopping of said mem: ber and relieving said means of the Weight of said member. y

21. The combination of a rotatable'member, braking means operative on the application throughout a small interval of time of a small amount of force by an operator to apply a relatively large amount of braking force throughout a relatively large interval of time for retarding the rotation of said member and automatic means to restore said braking means to an inoperative condition after the retardation has progressed to a predetermined degree.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 8th day of June, y

WALTER lH. HiMns.l 

